From the makers of Lover, Sex and Pokes came Love, Sex and Mocha which was staged in the city on Wednesday night at Lamakaan. Penned by the 25-year old Chaitanya Varad of the Bengaluru-based Underdog Entertainment, the plot took the dating scene away from the online world and instead did a role reversal of the playboy in pursuit of the shy introvert.
Talking about his plot-lines, Chaitanya quipped, “We wanted to cater to the 18-35 age group specifically because classic plays are bheja-fry for our generation.”
Unfolding the fun, the drama began with a cup of mocha ordered by Ria. Played with ease by the 24-year old Sharvani, Ria isn’t your ‘conventional’ girl and changes her boy-toys at the drop of a hat. Her sights fall on the quiet Vikram (played by Abhishek Varma) who romances solitude instead of girls. If left to him, he may have had a chance at getting away from the viper like grip Ria hoped to hold, but Vikram’s best friend Jigar (essayed by Anurag C) acts as the catalyst for the hilarious turn of events. In a committed relationship himself, Jigar eggs Vikram in Ria’s direction with the twisted idea of living vicariously through Vikram.
As someone who started writing plays because he wanted youngsters to enjoy theatre as well, Chaitanya breaks common notions and appeals to his target audience. “It is assumed that only a male is always looking for flings and not females. But, women also like to experiment and they aren’t always the victims,” explained the playwright.
The play touched upon the woes a man would go through in relationship where he’s under the constant pressure of a flaky partner and a friend who’s more interested in reading his diary on casual hook-ups.
Crisply written, enacted with charm and timed just right, the play was the right mix.
At the offset, Love, Sex and Mocha seemed like it might rub a few feminists the wrong way, but the reality of the plot was hard to ignore and the satire, tough not to laugh at. “It is only a portrayal of reality, something many of my friends of have experienced,” shrugged Chaitanya.
With about eight original productions -- like Chanel and Mangalsutra, Hangover and 12 Inches -- under his belt, he seemed fairly sure that he’d shake a few funny bones and judging by the applause, he may just have.